The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-14
LIGHTS ON THE RIVER.
THE NEGLIGENCE OF THE KEEPERS
AND THE DANGER 1T CAUSES.

The Keepers Fail to Light Them at
Night and Put Them Out in the Day
The Danger in Passing the OBJ
structions Without Beacon-The
Authorities Neglect to Enforce
Discipline.
The pilots and river men have had great
deal of trouble for some time past on ac-
count Of the negligence Of the light keepers
along the river. Many times the lights at
various points have not been lit and the
failure to keep them burning at night haz-
ards not only the safety of the vessels pass
ing up and down the river but the lives OF
all aboard. Some Of the keepers are negligent
not only about lighting but about putting
out the lights, and frequently they are left
burning until late in the afternoon. That
is not so dangerous, but tits convincing evil
dence of the careless way in which these very
necessary guides to navigation are attended
to. The character of the Savannah river is
such that even the oldest pilots run great
chances in coming in or going out on bad
night without the lights and 1t IS lmpossi-
BILE for stranger to come up to the CITY
unless he has them.
RELIC or REPUBLICAN RULE.
The number of vessels that navigate the
river is so great that any negligence on the
part of those having the lights III charge
becomes very serious matter, and 1t Is the
intention of the pilots to make official re-
ports of cases that have come under their
observation to the proper authorities.
One of the negligent keepers is negro
named Fred. Dixon, who is Chairman OF
the Republican Committee OF the Fourth
District He has charge of the Fig Island
lights, but he frequently comes to the CITY
and leaves his lights to care for themselves
while he attends to other matters here. Ills
lights are often left to burn throughout the
day, and about the middle of the next night
they go out. The river men have been
wanting to get Dixon out OF
the position for some time but he was retained
by the Republican administration, and has
been kept ever since for some unknown rea-
son. The worst man of the lot Is negro
named Robertson, and he has charge of the
Mackay Point or obstruction lights, which
are the most essential of all the lights
on the river One night between
July 20 and IS, Robertson failed to
light the obstruction lights and
it was dark and ugly night too. The pas
sage at the distractions Is dangerous
enough even when the lights are burning,
but without them the chances are very
much in favor of sinking any vessel that
treis to pass through. A boat that passed
down that night went several hundred feet
out of her course on account of the absence
of lights, and the captain discovered it bare
ly in time to get through safely.
DANGEROUS POINT.
johnson, who has charge of the Long Is
land range lights which are used for the
knoll, has been attending to his business I'M
til lately. He attends TO the lights upon the
upper and lower dams, but for the last five
nights there has been only one light on the
four ietties. An order has been issued that
light should be placed upon each of the
four, but instead of that johnson has burned
only one, and that one on the southeast letty.
There are two jetties on each side of the
river and the course of a vessel coming in
is from the lower southern to the upper
nor thern ietty. Without the lights the
most experienced pilot is likely to miss the
| course a short distance and run into the
| iettv. The result would be that the vessel
| would be wrecked.
| Campbell, who has charge of Venus
| Point lights and Cabbage Tree range bea-
con, and Feeley, who keeps one light at the
Bite, one, at Elba Island and one Of the
| Long Island jetty lights, live on Tybee
Island and generally leave their work
| to negroes. As rule, however,
their lights are attended to and very little
complaint has been heard because they have
not been lighted, though frequently they
are left burning until late in the day.
Feeley has to pull fifteen miles morning
| and evening to attend to his, but it is said
| that he tries to do his work except in
rough weather when he leaves it all to the
| negroes
| THE ONLY GOOD ONE.
The only one of the lot that gives proper
attention to his duties is Kane, who attends
to the White Oyster Bed lights. He lights
them every night and puts them out every
morning whether the weather is good OF
bad, and if it is rough he remains at the
light, where he keeps provisions for two Oh
three days at a time.
One great trouble is that nearly all the
keepers except Kane are addicted to liquor
One of them was at Tybee on August g. a.
drunk as fiddler and most all of them visit
the city every once i'll while and have &
spree The matter has been reported to In
spector Lamberton at Charleston, but he ha'
not seen fit to take any steps to improve the
| oa,-xY;co and tho pilptG and river mon thiul